What’s in a Can?

This is the time of year when many of us rely on canned goods to supplement fresh foods while cooking. Being a savvy consumer means educating yourself about what exactly is in those cans.

Most food cans in the United States are composed of steel and most beverage cans are made of aluminum. In order to prevent these metals from leaching into the contents of the can, the cans on grocery shelves are coated on the inside with food-grade epoxy, which creates a barrier between the metal and the food inside.

This epoxy liner has grown to be quite controversial among consumers because the liners often contain Bisphenol-A (BPA) which has been shown in animal studies to mimic the female hormone estrogen and produce a variety of health effects, including developmental defects. Despite growing concern, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to support the use of BPA in food can lining.

Recent public awareness and pressure has prompted the canned food industry to develop alternative can linings; however these are more costly and it can be difficult for consumers to determine if, when and where they are in use. BPA is found in a wide variety of consumer products and it takes effort and detective skills to steer clear of them.

If your mission is to reduce BPA exposure via cans, try the following: